Blood Right
by Jetiq
Summary: Aspiring medic, Naruto Uzumaki had the irony of being the container of the feared Nine Tailed Fox. Now with a team and a sensei to call his own, he has to come to grips with the fact that his blood right makes him a perfect instrument to end what he so wishes to protect. Shadows are ever watching and a snake in the leaves eagerly hunts for prey.
1. Blood Right Chapter 1

**Blood Right**

By, Jetiq

* * *

At the bridge in the Land of Waves, Team Kakashi was currently facing their second true life-or-death fight as shinobi. As Sakura desperately tried to defend the bridge-builder Tazuna, and silently prayed for her teammates' success, and her teacher Kakashi.

"Calm down, concentrate and see through it, dobe!" Naruto nodded and both trained their eyes on the mirrors in preparation for the next barrage, ignoring their own beaten, bloodied forms. As Haku launched the senbon, both boys dodged to the right at the last moment, the blond being nicked slightly but otherwise free of any newly-acquired injuries.

The battle was tiring, they were hurt, and as a medic it was particularly grating on Naruto on his inability to heal his and Sasuke's injuries. Even with shadow clones Naruto was useless. They were destroyed far too fast for them to be of any use.

It was only Naruto's ability to sense his opponent that gave him just enough wiggle room to dodge and still he looked like a pincushion.

Those senbons were no joke and Naruto and Sasuke were were feeling it first hand. Another itch in Naruto's sixth sense had him diving to the left. It was only when he turned to face Sasuke that he noticed Haku slow on his throw. He went to throw his kunai only to be too slow on the draw, Haku was mid-swing when Naruto raised his blade to block, Sasuke seemed just fast enough to weave through the barrage.

'They saw it?! No way!' the faux hunter-nin internally protested, shocked and confused at the pairs reaction. As the two lifted their faces, Haku found himself gazing into the eyes of the Sharingan. Or rather, to be more accurate,two setsof Sharingan, one with a collective three tomoe, and the other with two between them.'Those eyes… it can't be… the Sharingan?!'

Naruto was confused as to how he could suddenly see so easily, and looked over to Sasuke, only to gasp. "Sasuke, you have eyes like Kakashi-sensei's!" Naruto exclaimed, completely unaware of the change in his own eyes, bar the noticeable increase in the clarity of his vision. The blond Uzumaki saw his teammate turn his head with a smirk, only for aforementioned Uchiha to stop dead and do a double-take.

"I see, you both bear the sharingan. No matter I'll just end this quickly." The hunter-nin trailed off as he launched senbons at an even faster rate. Sasuke, meanwhile managed to dodge.'How does the dobe have the Sharingan? Don't tell me he's… family?' Sasuke wondered.

Naruto himself blocked what he could only to get hit far more then he would have liked. Though Naruto himself was a durable guy as any Uzumaki before him were, he was also tired. With him tanking more shots then Sasuke he was almost at his limit and it was only a matter of time before he slipped up.

He sensed it before he saw it. A surge of chakra fallowed by a vicious barrage of senbons. Clearly the masked ninja was done toying with Naruto, any possibility of dodging was snuffed when he felt his knees buckle and a deep cold wash up his legs. He looked down seeing thin ice needles peppering his thighs and knees.

He heard the figure speak again, and his eyes widened in panic, the senbons thrown were faster and most likely to strike him in the eyes – an instant kill.

Sasuke, with his Sharingan active, was having similar thoughts. As time seemed to slow down, he ran for Naruto as the masked figure shot at the redhead. Regardless, Sasuke had only just gotten some form of family back, and he'd be damned if he lost it this quickly.*'Naruto… Damn, make it in time!'*

Running to intercept the attack, Sasuke was left with little option but to throw himself between the oncoming attack and his teammate.

Naruto stared in shock at the scene before him, a startling clarity to it as the reality he knew crumbled. In front of him, Sasuke stood slumped forwardly slightly, his body ridden with senbon, panting heavily. Across from them, Haku was collapsed on the ground in pain, having borne the brunt of Sasuke's counter-attack.

When Sasuke fell Naruto was on him, hands aglow with healing chakra uncaring of his protesting legs. A constantly decreasing heart beat was Naruto answer to his diagnosis technique.

It was only when he started talking that Naruto stopped, knowing that whatever damage he healed was only gonna be superficial at best.

"What's with that face, you moron?" Sasuke smirked weakly as Naruto gaped at the raven, uncomprehending of how events escalated to this point.

"Why, why'd you go so far for me?" Naruto asked almost numb at the possibility of his friends death.

"Don't know... my body moved on it's own." A ragged intake of breath was what fallowed. "Fallow your dream Naruto avange our clan..." he grabbed his teammates hand a hearty grip even when he was at death's door, then it slackened.

"He landed a heavy blow on me, and died for you without even flinching… he is truly strong, to protect his precious person in such a way," Haku commented as he rose. "He is a shinobi that truly deserves respect." He finished, staring at the body of the Uchiha in his kin's arms. "Is this the first time you have lost a close friend? This is… " Haku seemed sad at this. "The way of the shinobi." Haku proclaimed as he prepared to send another hail of senbon and end the fight, stepping back into the mirrors.

"Shut up…" Naruto exclaimed quietly, his body exuding extreme killing intent as he rose slowly, his arms still cradling the dead Uchiha. Guilt churned deep in his gut - a soul-deep anguish haunting him. A dull ache crept into his eyes. Hatred bubbled, spat and boiled, and he wanted nothing more than toscream. To make the world - to make his enemies - feelpain. This was his fault. If only he'd been faster, better, stronger...'I hated you', he thought quietly and with no small amount of regret. Suddenly, the ache in his eyes turned too sharp, burning, blinding pain, and he finally let loose a resounding cry of rage and anguish.

His wounds steamed and healed, his k-nines grew while sharpening, his finger nails elongated to claws, and finally his eyes shifted to three black triangle curving towards a circle encasing his onyx pupil.

His killing intent skyrocketed to a boiling mass of hatred and dispare, but it was his chakra that truly stole the show.

It was a red vile thing, all raw with a feeling of an ever sharpened edge only for it's malice to culminate above the redhead to a shape of grinning fox. It was a thing of nightmares and it had his sights on Haku.

"What is this vile chakra?" Another roar from the boy and Haku's ice mirrors shook from the surge of chakra and displaced air. 'his power is growing I must end this now.'

Bending his arm back Haku didn't hesitate in attacking Naruto by all sides of his crystal ice mirrors.

The reaction was instant Naruto seemed to crumble in on himself only to only to stand and extend his arms, a surge of chakra and all the needles peppering his body flew outward.

Haku would have countered if his ice mirrors hadn't cracked. A hiss from the orange clad boy was the only warning he had when Naruto in a surge of speed sprinted to Haku's ice mirror.

Whatever surprise Haku had in being found so easily was forgotten in his haste to avoid the boys ridiculously powerful punch. His mirror shattered and he was left scrabbling to get away from the genin.

A hand sign and a hasty kick from Haku had Naruto ducking far too easily. Thankfully a surge of ice fallowing Haku's offensive was enough for him to get away.

He was midway through merging with his ice mirror when a resounding crack was heard.

He turned seeing his once pristine mirror now cracked and flaked, an ivory spear was jutting out from the impact zone of his mirror.

He turned his now terrified gaze to the boy, witnessing his arms and back bulge with no doubt more white projectiles. His jacket and pants were shredded from Haku's earlier attack, only to see whatever damage he inflicted heal far faster then his earlier regeneration.

It was when he saw white tips of sharpened bone protruding from the back of the redheads jacket that Haku ran. Any hope of subduing the genin was scrapped in his hasty retreat. Haku was a skilled shinobi a prodigy in some respects, but there was no way Haku was gonna beat Naruto. Haku knows first hand the atrocities of the Kaguya and their terrible bloodline.

He was too slow, ice shattered in Naruto's fallowing barrage of bone. It was only by reflex that stopped him from being impaled by shards of ice and bone. His retreat was stopped almost as fast as it started.

A shooting pain from his leg was Haku's stop from freedom. It was impaled straight through but not from another spear from the genin but from a point silver chain originating from Naruto outstretched arm. He tugged back the chain and Haku fallowed, all he saw was Naruto's rage filled state and his rapidly approaching fist, and no more.

* * *

It was in the seal of his Warden that the Kyūbi grinned. The smile was a vicious thing all malice with no small amount of glee.

It was an opportunity for the fox, a bid to weaken the seal and finally discard whatever remnants of chakra that man left on him so long ago. The brat was pathetic, and now the bijū could finally act on its plan to not only gain its host's favour, but also to up the host's power, and come one step closer to escaping the damned seal.

Sending a surge of chakra through the boy's body after collecting it from where it had lain before – attached to his very being like a disgusting stain that it couldn't quite purge, until now – the Kyūbi smirked slightly.

Hopefully with the purging of the mans chakra, any possibility of future control will be far more difficult. It was when Kyūbi felt his host body and chakra shift to accommodate the foreign energies that he new he miscalculated. Such an adaptable body was unforseen even with his presence in his mother's womb. Another shift and Kyūbi felt Naruto's tolerance for his chakra double. Clearly he messed up.

 _' **this isn't good.'**_

* * *

Zabuza cringed, the battle with Kakashi was bloody, draining, but overall frustrating, his lack of sight from having his eyes closed (hoping to counter Kakashis' sharingan) cost him.

Not only was he pinned by a pack of dogs but Kakashi and his love for dramatics was charging up a jutsu that would freeze a lesser man in his place.

It was a violent thing, electricity harnessed and contained in the copy-nins palm. The damn technique wouldn't be out of place in a thunderstorm nevermind in Kakashis' hand. Kakashi was probably enjoying his little display as well.

Zabuza internal musings was interrupted when he heard the shattering of glass, and he new any possible save from Haku was non-existent. He was on his own but not all hope was lost. He was a strong man, and though the use of the technique he had in mind would leave him bedridden it was better than the alternative.

He dug deep to the little shard of limit all men held and 'pulled'. It was a painful experience and no amount of times he used it got any better. This time was no different. The use of any of the gates had a price, even just the first one was torture.

A influx of chakra and a switch of his stance had all the mutts holding him flying towards their master.

Zabuza new any possibility of victory was impossible. He was crippled (the dogs made sure of that) and even with the opening of the gate it only gave him but a moment to counter. Kakashi was a no go, he was too big a fish to fry in his sorry state, if Zabuza was to die he'd be dieing protecting what little he had left. He'd kill the Jinchuuriki (for what else could that vile chakra be) before he had a chance to finish Haku.

* * *

Naruto blinked trying to comprehend the situation he found himself in. The loss of Sasuke was bad enough, but it was when he punched the masked hunter-nin (the hardest he hit anything) that he noticed the chattered mask, and that the ninja was knocked out.

He had a feminine face all smooth and delicate, it was Haku. The ensuing realization snapped Naruto from his anger.

He noticed his clawed hands, a deep burning ache in his bones, and his vastly improved eyesight. Nevermind the rapidly disappearing chain.

A look in the remnants of Haku's ice mirrors showed a bloodied raving animal that he was, but it was Naruto's eyes that left him stunned. It wasn't every day that one developed a bloodline.

It was the reflection that saved his life, him ultimately seeing the appearance of the bloodied raging demon that was Zabuza coming at him full sprint. It was a terrifying sight with Zabuza holding a kunia between his sharpened teeth.

His eyes widened, it was only his sharpened reflexes from the Kyūbi's chakra that let him dodge the initial stroke. He wasn't so lucky on the second, Zabuza thrust his head and the kunai up the sternum and to his heart, or would have if his bone wasn't stronger then steel. Instead it scraped to his left and into his ribs. Naruto struck.

Uncaring of any resulting wound Naruto grabbed the Demon of the Mist in a vicious head lock. Maybe it was the Kyūbi's influence, maybe just Naruto's stubborn will to live, or maybe just pure stupidity. Either way Naruto had every intention of breaking the fuckers neck.

The resulting events was a sight to behold, two demons in their own right trapped in a standstill not unlike raging bulls. Naruto in his state of rage and desperation had every intention of killing the crippled jōnin and Zabuza in just opening the first gate was amplified to an extreme dagree was trying to push the kunia up the genin's ribs and into his heart.

Naruto ribs were giving way and Naruto knew any possibility of survival was getting harder and harder. In desperation and instinct he felt for his weaponized ivory he'd been using, and with a scream of pure rage pulled his thickened sharpened bones to the surface. Ivory and blood protruded from Naruto, peppering the two combatants but it was Zabuza who took the damage.

Bloodied and pierced by Naruto and crippled by Kakashi, Zabuza's body finally failed him. Unable to hold on to the opened gate Zabuza with a grunt crumbled, and Naruto struck with strength he didn't know he held. With a twist of his arms a resounding crack echoed from Zabuza, Naruto broke his neck, Zabuza went limp, and Naruto exhausted and beaten passed out.

* * *

Sakura was a sheltered child loved and cared for with loving parents, Sakura never wanted for anything so it was with great shock and no small amount of disgust that Sakura witnessed the tail end of Naruto's and Zabuza's confrontation.

Sakura's stomach twisted at the sight of the dead enemy jounin, but there was also relief that their most dangerous opponent was dead. Her relief was short-lived, however, as Naruto collapsed. Quickly, tugging the bridge-builder along with her, she began to make her way over to her redhead teammate.

"Naruto!" Sakura called. Naruto didn't respond, didn't even so much as twitch at the sound of her voice, which prompted a sliver of worry in Sakura's mind. "Naruto!" she cried again trying to wake up his collapsed form, "wake u…" Sakura trailed off, as she and Tazuna began to truly make out the details of Naruto's appearance. Blood was dripping from the genin's form. It was on his face as well, and there were dark stains on his shredded clothing. Though not all the blood was his own. The still body of Zabuza's and his accomplice served as a silent affirmation of that conclusion.

Both the bridge builder and the kunoichi were shocked at the sight, though Sakura was far more surprised than Tazuna. Tazuna was shocked that the little loudmouthed redhead had killed someone, especially a ninja as skilled as Zabuza was, but he had already grown to respect Naruto as a person and as a ninja. Sakura, however, still harbored many of the prejudices and misconceptions that she had developed towards Naruto over the years. In Konoha, labels like genius and dead-last carried a great deal of weight. It shouldn't have mattered much, especially among the older and more experienced shinobi, but it did. Though it should be pointed out Naruto's performance the last year showed massive improvement.

Now she had to reconcile with the knowledge that grades were useless in the grand scheme of things, seeing that it was Naruto, not Sasuke nor Kakashi who killed Zabuza. It also showed her own failure seeing that it was she who contribute the least, and probably would have ended up dead, not beaten and bloodied but ultimately alive like Naruto.

It was her inspection of the bone spears projecting from Zabuza that Sakura's sight fallowed that trail of carnage, finally leading her eyes upon Sasuke's prone form. Sakura, now extremely worried, began to jog in the indicated direction. She passed Naruto and a now present Kakashi without a second glance.

The Sharingan was once again covered, Kakashi's single eye gazed emotionlessly down at his student and fallen foe. As he approached, he lifted his head and gave his student a glance. The glance quickly widened into a surprised stare as he took in Naruto's bloody, ragged form and exhausted appearance. Quickly, he looked for his other students and soon saw the hunched form of Sakura, bent over the still body of Sasuke. Tazuna was standing behind her, sad but unharmed. For an instant, Kakashi's single visible eye seemed to droop in sorrow.

Naruto, ever the freak of nature all Jinchuuriki's were stirred awake. Naruto opened his eyes, and for a moment Kakashi thought the Kyūbi's influence was still present, only to realize his student crimson gaze was from the presence of fully matured pair of sharingans.

The instant was soon over, and the silver haired jounin was all business again. Setting aside the revelation for later Kakashi let the redhead catch his breath and get to his shaky feet, he spoke.

"The hunter-nin?" His tone was emotionless, but brisk.

Naruto's lumped slightly, but otherwise his expression was tired. "Knocked out," he replied. Kakashi sighed, unhappy of the grizzly business that was to fallow, the main threats to Tazuna had been neutralized. But he was still worried the faux hunter-nin might be a future threat.

"And Sasuke?" Kakashi was pretty certain of the answer, but he needed confirmation. Naruto opened his mouth to reply, but he was cut off before he could begin.

"Zabuza!" Haku cried out as his downed form crawled towards the body. For the first time Naruto heard true anguish in his voice. "I failed you! I was weak! It should have been me! It should have been me!"

Naruto flinched, eyes setting on Zabuza's twisted neck and pierced body. The sharingan burned every horrific detail into his head. Haku screamed in torment before hugging the body closely, tears streaming down his face.

Naruto started to speak, trying to apologize in for the vicous killing of Zabuza. He was interrupted a second time by a raucous laugh.

All eyes turned to see Gato standing at the end of the bridge clapping his hands in glee. Behind him stood a small army of thugs, their weapons at the ready and obviously looking to do some damage. "I must say things went off far better than I could have possibly imagined. Zabuza has worn you all down wonderfully and had the decency to die by your hands and save me the trouble. I must say this day couldn't be any better!"

"What!" Haku exclaimed standing up momentarily overcoming his wound by the same sort of shock and rage that Naruto himself was feeling before.

"I never intended to pay you, stupid boy." Gato laughed. "He was nothing more than an expendable tool."

Haku seethed in rage. "Zabuza-san was not a tool! He had a dream! He deserved better then a meaningless death!" Haku screamed. "He was a worth more than you and every man you order!"

Gato scoffed, uncaring of the missing ninjas ideals. "He was a means to an end boy. "Gato words were like a knife. "He was scum, even lower scum than you killers for hire. Best know that people like Zabuza are broken tools I gladly discard."

Shocked silence was Gato's response. "... you're a monster." Finally Naruto broke the silence. "I'll kill you." The statement was spoken more as a fact than a threat.

"No Naruto" Haku's words were clearly strained with unhinged rage. "He's mine to kill."

Gato's smile grew, finding the threats by the two shinobi amusing. "My friends here take exception to that." Gato gestured to his muscles for hire. "Gentleman, if you would." The thugs charged.

Haku looked at the opposing force with steel in his eyes and drew his senbon. The temperature began to drop and snow began to fall from the sky. A severe wind blew across the bridge, chilling everyone to the bone. Haku fell into a fighting stance and glared at the enemy, two one handed signs had the mist condense to droplets and freeze to sharpened points. A third had them promptly flying to the hoard of thugs.

A wave of thugs fell from Hakus' assault, and Naruto ever an opportunist made his favorite hand sign. "Mass shadow-clone jutsu!" Hundreds of angry redheads charged at the stunned thugs.

There was a moment of absolute silence on the bridge as both Kakashi and the bridge builder went still from the surprise assault and Gatou's laughter stopped. Rapid footsteps echoed across the bridge, and hundreds of kunai whispered as they were unsheathed from leg holsters.

Deep within Naruto, something felt his rage. Massive crimson eyes snapped open, and a cruel smile tugged at inhuman lips, revealing monstrous canines. Red eyes aglow faintly with malevolent power.

Naruto, feeling the foreign wave of malice instinctively put it to use. His eyes morphed, bled, and space *shifted* to accommodate his disire. At first glance Narutos' foes seemed to fall from gapping wounds opened from an act of god. Limbs were mutilated, ripped, and in some cases an invisible forces pulled the mercenaries to shreds. Narutos' clones, feeling just as merciful as thier creator attacked with kunai, shuriken, and in some cases spears of bones and ivory. Gato ran.

"Kill the boy Damn it!" The band of mercenaries and thugs desperately tried to kill the redhead.

Naruto however carved through them with speed and strength far surpassing his natural abilities. Rage left his mind mercifully blank of thought. His shinobi training, eyes, instincts, and sensing ability allowed him to carve a bloody swath through his enemies as he went to cut off the retreating businessman. He was outnumbered though even with his clones and he was going to take damage sooner or later. Luckily Kakashi had slipped in the chaos of Narutos' charge, and viciously protected his student. Kakashi's Sharingan was once again revealed recording Narutos' assault, as he countered the attacks of the mercenaries with an air of ease despite his exhaustion.

Kakashi noticed Haku dead set on killing the shipping magnate, seeing him liberally use whatever opening Naruto and himself created in their assault to get to the tycoon. Going in so far as to springboard off a Naruto clone dispelling it in the process.

Naruto seeing and feeling his clones dispersal willingly set his eyes on Hakus' land sight. Whatever opposition Haku might have faced was quickly and efficiently delt with as he felt his eyes bleed. Whatever thugs in Hakus' way we're either dead or dieing before Haku even hit the ground.

Gatou was quivering in fear at the faux hunter-nins' rapid approach. His legs shivered, his retreat halted and no matter how hard he tried he could hardly seem to move them. Even so far away Narutos' Kyūbi-fied killing intent was a potent force.

In a mighty surge of speed, Haku crossed the distance between himself and Gato in an instant. A warm trickle down his leg was felt by the business man. Gato pissed himself.

"No! Get away from me!" Gato screamed rapidly backing away only to fall, arms raised in a feeble attempt for protection. Haku raised his senbon. "Mercy, please."

Haku's strangely feminine face wisted to a visage between incredibility and rage.

"You dare!" Hakus' voice cracked with unconstrained hatred. "You have the gall to beg!"

"I'll pay you double..." Gato tried to bribe. "No tri..." Hakus' senbon flashed, the smooth horizontal arc that followed was too fast for Gatou to see, but when it made contact with his neck he tried to stem the bleeding with his hands.

Soon afterwards Gatos' body slackened and stilled his face still frozen in a terrified grimace in death, bloody hands still clutching his ruined neck.

Several men sought to attack Haku from behind, but a single glance from Naruto killed them in their tracks. Narutos' killing intent, enhanced exponentially by the Kyūbis' dreadful chakra, was more than enough to terrify and scatter the remaining mercenaries.

A single chakra enhanced leap from Kakashi took him and Naruto over the scattering group of mercenaries. Kakashi, who had retreated back to Zabuza's corpse as soon as Naruto let go of the Kyūbis' chakra, watched his student anxiously. However, the boy made no moves to attack him. Naruto stood still for a long moment. He trembled visibly, and when he began to approach closer Kakashi saw that his eyes were once again blue. Blue, but also dull.

Naruto stared down at his bloody hands with a strange, almost bewildered look in his eyes. It was as if he didn't recognize his own hands. Kakashi eyed his student, wondering what he should say in this situation, or if he should say anything at all.

Haku too made his way to the dead swordmen, uncaring of the retreating mercenaries, Kakashis' observant gaze, or Narutos' broken one. He collapsed beside his dead master, blissfully out cold.

* * *

His heart beat was loud in his ears.

 _Did I die?_

The sound of soft, girlish weeping grew louder as each second was struggled to open his eyes. Dimly, he could see the bridge builder standing over him, and Sakura weeping on his chest.

"Sakura, get off," Sasuke muttered hoarsely. Sakura gasped and jerked up in shock.

"Sasuke…?" Her voice was small, incredulous at his revival, but he could hear the rising hope there as well. Sasuke could only blink weakly in reply. Ignoring Tazunas' tried to sit up. "Sasuke... You're alive!" She exclaimed, tears flowing anew but thankfully also helping him get to a sitting position.

He ignored her tears. "Where's Naruto? And what happened to that masked guy?" It hurt to talk, but he had to know.

"Naruto is safe," Sakura replied, letting Sasuke lean on her,"and that masked boy's over there." She looked aside pointing towards the downed ninja, her expression suddenly downcast.

"Zabuza?" Sasuke gasped. He quickly brought his head up to stare at Sakura. "Did Kakashi kill him?"

Sakura hesitated, but Sasuke's gaze bored intensely into her. "I don't know the details, but…" she trailed off briefly, not able to meet Sasuke's gaze, "I saw Naruto snap his neck."

"What?... Naruto did what?"

Sakura gulped but answered "Naruto killed him," hastily adding. "but Kakashi sensei did most of the work."

Sasuke turned to stare at Hakus' still form, and Zabuzas' corpse then to Naruto, whose body was stained red with blood.

Sasuke stared at the ground. _'That guy… must have done it on purpose from the beginning...'_ Sasuke didn't know what to think. Naruto had killed a ninja that he and Kakashi couldn't defeat. Also that ninja had subdued him easily, without using lethal force. Was he really that weak?

* * *

"Naruto!" Sakura called, voice oddly chipper. Naruto flinched at the sound of her turned to see Sakura waving, a big smile lighting up her face, and Sasuke slowly rising to his feet. "Sasuke is okay! He's alive!"

"What!?" He turned fully around to face Sakura, looking for confirmation, sharingan eyes unconsciously activating.

Sasuke looked curiously at Narutos' newly acquired sharingan, and slowly raised his left arm in response to Narutos' crimson stare. Naruto smiled, a deep sense of relief filling him. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes, and he laughed softly in joy. Then he turned to Hakus' exhausted form, and his expression drooped. _'I see… So, he...'_ Sasuke was alive after all. Haku hadn't killed him, but Naruto had killed Zabuza. A renewed sense of grief consumed him. _'Why…?'_

Why... why'd he have to kill. He was a medic, his very purpose trained to prevent such actions. Only for him to feel the irony that his Jinchuuriki status and whatever biological jackpots he had, made him exceedingly efficient in killing. The corpses scattered throughout the bridge spoken silent testimony to that.

Sharingan silently recording the aftermath Naruto took a deep breath. He was tired.

Apparently so was Kakashi, cause the son of bitch didn't have the decency to make it two step towards the mainland before he too collapsed.

Naruto took another deep breath and took stock of the situation. He had two downed comrades and Sasuke though standing was in no condition to be moving. Nevermind the fact he had to seal up Zabuzas' corpse as well.

"Fuck." Naruto was tired, but he was a medic and he had work to do.

"Sakura!" he shouted, catching his pink-haired teammates' attention. "Kakashi-sensei fainted again, and we need take Sasuke and Haku back to Tazunas' house!…" a quick hand seal had ten Naruto cones summoned. "Help my clones make stretchers and I'll right up a seal to move Zabuza."

It was an odd crew that departed from the incomplete bridge. Three clearly injured people were borne on makeshift stretchers by six red-headed genins. In front, another redhead, looking exactly like the other six, marched with an ergancy only found in medics and doctors. Behind them was a pink-haired kunoichi, who kept guard between the wounded and the old bridge builder beside her. Behind the odd pair was a large procession of armed islanders, who had made it to a bridge after the initial conflict. To many it would be a very strange sight. To the inhabitants of the island the sight spoke of a true possibility of freedom.

* * *

 **Authors Note**

Hello, fellow fanfiction readers. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I've got inspired to write after reading 'Inheritance' an awesome multi bloodline Naruto fanfic. Loved it and figured I'd try my hand at the concept.

I also read 'Tempered in Water' another awesome fanfic I enjoyed. I sort of used the story structure for the first chapter seeing that I'm using a cell phone to write this story. I proof read it but I'm pretty sure I've missed some mistakes. Again I'm using a cell to write this story so I hope I earned some slack.

Leave a review if you're so inclined, Jetiq out.

P.S. How do people write such long chapters? Mines only half as long as I wanted.


	2. Mortality Chapter 2

Chakra exhaustion, why is it always chakra exhaustion. The damn condition could lay even the strongest ninja low, and by the time a shinobi reached jounin level, they had gone through enough life and death situations to hate feeling weakness. Kakashi felt it twice in less then a month, and it was only thanks to Naruto that kept an already debilitating condition to a feeble two days instead of a week.

Though this time Narutos' time was split between treating Sasuke, Haku, himself, escorting the bridge-builder and keeping guard. Kakashi would have normally protested the clear overworking of any of his genin, but Naruto (the stubborn little shit that he was) wouldn't take no for an answer. Sakura was no help too, her not being bothered to move from a still bedridden Sasuke.

Thus, Naruto was acting in place of the rest of the team, he normally would have been proud if he wasn't so disappointed in Sakuras' lack of initiative. He'll have to see in correcting that when they got back to Konoha.

So alone and still hurt from yesterdays fight Kakashi was grateful when Naruto entered his room to brake his reverie. The blond tended to be noisy and far more laid back then any medic he had the pleasure in working with, as well as mildly amusing when teased. He could grate on the nerves when excited, but for now Kakashi was thankful that Naruto was around to break the tedium.

Setting his lone eye on his student Kakashi not for the first time noted that Naruto was an extremely troubled individual. There were times when he would grow silent, his eyes shadowed, and he would often begin to ask a question. Naruto had yet to follow through with it, though seeing the redheads look of determination Kakashi knew Naruto was looking to ask questions, questions Kakashi himself didn't know the answer to.

So, after the initial greetings were out of the way and Naruto settled down, the first thing Kakashi did was ask for a report. Naruto though determined still seemed hesitant to ask questions, and Kakashi hoped to ease Naruto before they got to the nitty-gritty of the conversation.

Naruto nodded, folding his arms and screwing his face up in concentration. "Sasuke's able to stand up by himself, he's healing faster then you or Haku, but seems intent on getting to training as soon as possible." His face and voice clearly conveying his exasperation at his teammates antics. "Had to tie him up and threaten Sakura I'd beat I'm within an inch of his life if he so much as set a foot outside his bed."

Kakashi laughed at his teams antics. "How'd she take it."

Naruto rubbed his jaw from phantom pain. "As well as you could expect, though she did promise she'd let Sasuke recover."

Letting his chuckles die down Kakashi asked the about what's been bugging him most. "And Haku, how is he?"

" _She's_ still out cold, but recovering." Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"She?" Kakashi asked, voice more amused than questioning.

Naruto gulped. "Yeah, she was loosing blood last night, I took off her shirt to close the wound. So yeah... He's a she." Kakashi laughed.

"You bastard, this isn't funny. I had to have Tsunami wash and clean her, and if Sakura catches wind on what I saw." Naruto whole demeanor screamed fear.

Kakashi just laughed harder. "Don't worry your secrets safe with me." Naruto breathed a sigh of relief.

"Anything unusual?" Kakashi asked.

Narutos' posture drooped, his demeanor quickly becoming serious. He knew what his teacher was asking. "No," he said, shaking his head. "I've been on the lookout, but I haven't noticed anyone suspicious. I scouted around the town, and I even had clones go to Gatos' hide out, but no one was their. I think the thugs booked it from Wave when Gato died" He stopped for a moment, looking at Kakashi for approval. "I also found a big ass safe. I couldn't open it so I sealed it up."

Kakashi smiled, glad that Naruto went so far to ensure the safety of his team, and amused at his antics. Sealing truly was a powerful art. "Good job, Naruto." And it was a good job, Naruto surprised his team and admittedly Kakashi most of all. It seemed the conflict at the bridge awoke a dormant potential for maturity in the redhead, and Kakashi sad to see his innocence go was happy at least one of his student took shinobi profession seriously. Sasuke, though knows the brutality of shinobi first hand, only saw being a ninja a means to an end rather then the life long commitment it was. The less said about Sakura the better.

It seemed the conversation finally gave Naruto the confidence to ask the question he came to ask.

"Kakashi-sensei, what's happening to me? The sharingan, and these bloodlines. It should be impossible." Kakashi himself didn't know, but his student was painfully lost, and he at least owed it the redhead to be honest.

"Naruto, I can't say." Naruto went to demand answers, but Kakashi interrupted him. "I can't say cause I don't know. I'm just as lost as you." Naruto seemed to shrink from the lack of answers. "What I do know is about your sharingan."

"My sharingan?" Naruto asked "I'm pretty sure that's the most obvious, my parents or grandparents must be or be related to the Uchiha one way or another." An orphan he may be but it wasn't so far fetched that Narutos' family must have intermingled with the Uchihas. He was a Konoha native as far as he new.

"I'm not talking about your parentage." He wasn't touching that topic with a ten foot pole. "I'm talking about what you can do with you're sharingan. The things you did to the mercenaries." To Narutos' credit he didn't finish at the reminder.

"Yeah, but I thought that was just another bloodline, not my eyes." Clearly Narutos' assumption was incorrect.

Kakashi sighed, "The sharingan has the luxury or in some cases the misfortune of being the only bloodline that manifests in stages." Narutos' face scrunched up in confusion.

"How so sensei? My eyes have all three tomoes, and I only just manifested my sharingan."Naruto asked. "That can't be normal, Sasuke's a full blooded Uchiha and he only has one in each eye."

Kakashi was impressed it seemed Naruto was doing his own digging while he was out.

"The evolution of the sharingan is directly proportional to the wielders threat awareness, chakra reserves, and psychology at the time of evolution." Kakashi stated, he clearly studied the subject quiet thoroughly. "Also keep in mind that each tomoe serves an individual purpose. The first increased clarity, awareness, and processing time between the eye and brain. The second strengthens the first and adds the benefits of photographic memory, and the third tomoe connects the central nervous system to ones chakra network allowing fo..."

"..r the copying of hand signs, taijutsu, and chakra techniques" Naruto finished, his medical experience allowing him to connect the dots from Kakashis' previous battle. Naruto smiled "Awesome."

Kakashi eye smiled."I know, pretty cool, but also keep in mind the sharingan is a yin based bloodline. Eye contact let the the user project illusions and predict the moves of their opponent to a certain extent."

Narutos' face was incredulous. "That's stupidly unfair."

Kakashi snorted. "You'll soon find Naruto that all's fair in love and war, and like it or not bloodlines are just as likely to cause war as they are to win them." Naruto slumped at that grain of truth.

Getting back at the topic at hand Naruto asked. "So the sharingan has separate stages of evolutions depending on the individual,"Naruto summarized. "but that doesn't answer that weird spacey thingy I did with my eyes."

Kakashi pointedly ignored his students rather lackluster definition of his eye technique. "Your technique if my suspicion correct, is probably caused by the manifestion of the Mangekyou Sharingan." Kakashi stated.

There was brief moment of tense silence after Kakashis' explanation. "What the hell is that?" Kakashi face palmed. '*Leave it to Naruto to be so blunt about things.*'

"The Mangekyou Sharingan is far as I know the final stage of the eyes natural evolution." Kakashi clarified. "It allows the wielder access to unique techniques, but at the cost of their sight," Kakashi looked intently at the genin. "but I reckon you won't have a problem with that." This time Kakashi looked pointedly at Narutos' stomach.

"Well that's nifty," Naruto stated almost non-plus in his reaction to the information. "but that doesn't tell me how I'd aquired it," Naruto stated. "you spoke about the sharingan like every evolution needs a set of predetermined conditions."

It was time like these that Naruto reminded Kakashi, just how intelligent he truly was. "Your right," Kakashi confirmed. "theories vary in their breadth, but it's almost universally agreed upon that the evolution of the Sharingan depends almost exclusively on the individuals mental and physical state at the time of it's use." Kakashi finished, gesturing for his student continue.

Face scrunched up in concentration it was a long moment before Naruto spoke. "I'd imagine no Uchiha had the misfortune of being a Jinchuuriki or manifested bloodlines like my own," Naruto theorized. "so I'd imagine any physical variables are probably negligible." Naruto racked his brain for a possible reason that might have activated the Mangekyou. Finally he spoke. "The body isn't an issue, so I'd imagine the trigger must be psychological."

Naruto looked at Kakashi for confirmation. He nodded so Naruto tried to supplement his answer with the chakra theory he new.

"You said that the sharingan was a yin based bloodline, so mental trauma probably forces the eyes to evolve. The technique or techniques are unlocked but aren't internalized like the other properties of the eyes." Naruto grimaced, yin chakra was easy to mold but very inadequate for anything other then genjutsu and healing. Yang chakra was really the only driving motivator that gave jutsu any 'oomph' to do damage. "So the eyes in weaponizing yin chakra damage themselves, yin chakra by itself can't supplement the demand that yang chakra can."

Kakashi nodded, genuinely impressed in his genins deductive abilities. "That's more or less what I've concluded, keep in mind that not all of us have the luxury of advanced healing you Uzumaki have." Nevermind the the fox enhancing his healing factor.

Naruto seemed to fidget at the change in topic, and Kakashi ever observant took note of it. "What's wrong?" Kakashi asked. "Your heritage is nothing to be ashamed of Naruto."

"No!" Naruto exclaimed, clearly trying to convey that wasn't the reason for his fidgeting. "It's not that it's... Ugh! It's better if I showed you."

Kakashi watched as Naruto roll up his long sleeve and draw a kunia, only for his expectant gaze to widen as Naruto ever so calm cut and drew the kunai up along his left forearm. The cut was deep, the cut should have been bloody. Only for Kakashis' morbid expectations to fail him, for to his great shock, he saw the wound heal just as quickly as it appeared. Naruto has never healed that fast as far as he new. Kakashi sensed no trace of the Kyūbis' chakra. "Naruto, might want to explain what the hell just happen?"

Naruto put his kunai away, his forearm already healed. Not so much as a scar was left as a reminder for his earlier mutilation. "I have a theory, though it is kind of far-fetched." Kakashi gestured for him to continue, if anything taught Kakashi throughout the mission, it was Naruto was great at deductive reasoning.

Naruto continued. "I first thought it was my use of the Kyūbis' chakra at the bridge, maybe it amplified my healing factor after the fact," Clearly Naruto was more comfortable treating the predicament as a medical conundrum. "but the Kyūbis' chakra has aways been present in my system. The only thing that makes sense is the thing I did with my bones. I think that bloodline grants advanced healing."

"Do you think it amplified your healing factor after it was activated?" Kakashi asked, curious himself.

"Well not exactly," Naruto straightened up, clearly more comfortable in presenting his hypothesis. "you see as a medic you can't just heal someone that already has a healing factor present. You have to either overpower it with you healing chakra or better yet guide it at the most damaged areas."

Kakashi himself tried to answer the conundrum with the tidbits of information Naruto dropped. "You think your 'bone' healing factor isn't chakra based." Kakashi stated, and got confirmation by the beaming smile Naruto gifted him.

"Yeah! It makes sense too, most of the chakra is going to the bones I'd imagine, so the body had to pick up the strain." Though he did clarify by adding. "But I do think the presence of chakra helps a lot."

Kakashi laughed, leave it to Naruto to develop a bloodline that almost perfectly supplement his Uzumaki heritage. "And seeing that your chakra is the reason for your healing, they work in tandem instead of fighting for dominance."

"Yeah, pretty cool huh. Though I have to get regular medical check-ups, I've noticed I'm lacking scar tissue were I've been hurt." He cringed at this. "I have to make sure nothing becomes cancerous from all the healing I'm doing." Kakashi nodded at this, it's mandatory for any ninja who had been treated via chakra at the field be checked over to avoid such happenings.

Shaking his head Naruto seemed to shake whatever was holding him down, clearly their talk helped in that regard. "Anyway I'm here to finish healing you sensei." Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief at this. He was tired of the feeling of chakra exhaustion and Naruto seemed to have a knack for treating it. Three hand signs later and Narutos' hands were aglow with healing chakra.

Setting his palms on his senseis' torso, Naruto let Kakashis' remaining chakra guide is own into his strained coils.

Chakra transfer was the first and most basic application for the mystic-palm technique, and though most medics lacked the chakra to fulling heal their patient Naruto had it in spades. The only drawback the technique had was that the patients needs to have enough chakra so it can guide the foreign energy to their coils and not cause damage.

Kakashi took a deep breath while Naruto healed him, Kakashi was no stranger to the treatment, having been healed more times then he could remember. The feeling was always different though, Narutos' chakra was a dense thing, bright, and happy he clearly enjoyed helping people. Finishing quickly Kakashi almost protested, but understood why he stopped so soon.

Having such dense chakra meant he had to regulate his input. Kakashi knew that soon, what chakra Naruto donated will dilute and expand. Kakashi probably won't know what to do with himself after the chakra integrates.

"I have to leave you Kakashi-sensei. Tazunas' going to the bridge this morning and I promised I'd help with my shadow clones."

"Take Sakura with you Naruto, she's been slacking off yesterday." Kakashi ordered. "When are you getting back?"

"It's nine a.m. so by eleven, twelve at the latest." Naruto answered. "I'll check up on Haku when I get back, you should be at a 100% by then."

Kakashi nodded, already feeling Narutos' chakra filling his coils. A quick farewell and Naruto was off.

Chakra exhaustion was a bitch Kakashi mused, able to lay low even the strongest of ninja, but to a trained medic it was more treatable then the common cold.

Taking out his blessed Icha Icha Paradise Kakashi smiled, he was just happy he had a medic on hand.

* * *

Making her way to the bridge Sakura, Naruto, and a tipsy Tazuna walked in silence. Sakura really wasn't enjoying her morning so far, Sasuke was being far more broody the usual and rather snappish. Not that she could blame him, after being bed ridden for the whole of yesterday anyone would be in a bit of a mood.

At first she wanted to blame Naruto for Sasukes' less then pleasant behavior, but even she couldn't delude herself into believing that Sasuke's mood was Narutos' fault. Though Naruto could have been less forceful in Sasukes' treatment she understood that it was done for his own good.

Sasuke was determined to train, going in so far as to demand/nag Naruto heal him since he'd been able to walk this morning. Normally she would have agreed with Sasuke, but Naruto was adamant that their was nothing else he could do. Sasukes' fatigue was caused by muscle strain from yesterdays battle and a mild case of chakra exhaustion.

Naruto said under no circumstances was he gonna transfer chakra. Saying any chakra given was only going to be burned off far too quickly to be of any use if he was going to train, and Sasuke was going to have a even worse case of chakra exhaustion as a consequence.

When Sasuke tried to go train anyway Naruto tied the poor Uchiha to his bed, he even threatened Sakura that he'd give Sasuke a reason to be bedridden if she she untied him. After slapping Naruto, she gave him her word that she'd leave Sasuke alone.

No Sasukes' mood wasn't a result of his rough treatment, but being threatened by Narutos' growth. Not only did Naruto subdue the faux hunter-nin but to everyone's shock also killed Zabuza, a jōnin on par with Kakashi sensei.

Seeing Sasuke so down she tried to assure him that Narutos' killing of Zabuza was a fluke. A consequence of genetic happenstance than any actual skill, but her comments seemed to only make him angrier.

Though she did note that Sasuke was at least happy in knowing that he and Naruto were related one way or another, if not a little surprised. And what a surprise it was, Sakura herself could hardly wrap her head around the fact that Naruto and Sasuke were related. They were as different as night and day but somehow Naruto struck the genetic lottery in having manifested three bloodlines.

So lost in thought she was actually quite surprised when she noticed they were already making there way to the bridges entrance.

The construction workers were already at work so when they got at the building sight so Tazuna only watch and directed the employees to curtain parts of interest. He and Naruto seemed to have come to an accord beforehand cause the redhead didn't even offer to help before he summoned a good two hundred shadow clones.

It seemed the employees were hesitant in working on the massive support pillars keeping the bridge up. She watched as a good fifty clones walk down the pillars and jump to the churning waters below. She fully expected the clone to sink, only to her amazement they didn't. They walked and glided on top of the waves like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Naruto, when did you learn wall climb and water walking? Kakashi sensei didn't teach you any of that." She asked.

The original Naruto looked to his teammate. "I learned it a med-school while in the academy. Why'd you think Kakashi sensei only had me doing leaf balancing exercises when he taught you guys?"

"Kakashi sensei said he was teaching to refine your sensing ability." She answered. "We didn't know you knew how to do it already."

Naruto shrugged, not seeing the big deal. "It did help, but I knew all the basics chakra control exercises beforehand." Naruto stated. "You need pretty decent control before anyone can even attempted to heal something. So I was drilled pretty hard to get up to snuff."

Sakura nodded, kindof regretting not taking the medical courses offered by the academy their last year.

"So how was it?" Sakura asked. "The courses I mean."

"Pretty hard actually. Mostly anatomy theory and chakra control." He answered. "I didn't even get to practice on an actual person untill recently. We just used fish and stuff beforehand."

Sakura made a face on this. "Sounds pretty gross." She added.

Naruto laughed. "It is but the applications are pretty invaluable on the field I've noticed." And wasn't that the truth. "I mean, if it wasn't for me Kakashi sensei and Sasuke would be bedridden for at least a week."

At that Sakura was thankful. The first time Kakashi sensei collapsed she truly thought all was lost, but it was Naruto,

who just as scared and frightened as her, showed just what he was made of when he was able to wake their sensei, and had him talking and walking at a hundred percent in little over a day.

She would never take for granted having a trained medic as a team member again. She was actually quite sorry in the treatment of the redhead by his peers. Everyone made fun of Naruto for being the only one who willingly took medical training offered last year.

At the time it was almost a preposterous concept, the then dead last taking on a profession infamous for it's difficulty. Older smarter students were spat out like yesterdays lunch every year and here was Naruto, loud, obnoxious, and a notorious prankster enthusiastically taking on the challenge. Sakura gave Naruto a week before he quit or was kicked out.

Only for her and everybody elses gobsmacked realization, that not only was Naruto staying afloat, he was actually doing well. His grades in the class made it to the upper bracket by year's end and his speech seemed far more articulate. It was really more out of habit that they referred Naruto as dead last at all. His taijutsu got better as well, it seemed Narutos' medical teacher caught wind of his horrific performance, and had that matter rectified, Mizuki sensei hadn't been seen since.

Clearly Sakura ignored Narutos' enormous potential for contribution on the team, and as sad as it was she knew that her contribution was negligible compared to Naruto or Sasuke.

Her chasing of Sasukes' affection, instead of dedicating her time on training left her wholly inadequate for the reality of combat. Now, here she was, left scrambling in the aftermath this all powerful wake-up call. She was dead weight carried by the team, and that just wouldn't do. Though their was a nagging question she'd been itching to ask the redhead since the battle at the bridge.

"Naruto," she started curiously. " What was that red chakra you used against Zabuza?"

Narutos' body flinched at the ensuing question, clearly it was an uncomfortable topic for him. "Yeah about that Sakura, you didn't tell anyone what you saw, right?" Naruto questioned.

"Only Sasuke, he asked how you beat Zabuza and I told her him what I saw." She answered.

Naruto seemed to breath a sigh of relief at this. "Look Sakura what you saw is kinda of a big hush hush secret." Wasn't that an understatement. "I have to ask permission from old mad Hokage to tell you guys anything."

Sakura scowled at this, unhappy with that answer but nonetheless let it go. "What about your bloodlines, anything you can share about that?

Naruto nodded. "Kakashi sensei told me I had something called the Mangekyou Sharingan. I don't know what the bone things is, but I do know what's the chakra chains called."

"Well what's it called? I only know you had it when you tied Sasuke up this morning." That was another damn surprise from her teammate.

"It's called the 'Kusari', name's not very original, but my clan made good use of it when we had our own hidden village." He didn't say that it was quite rare, only ten people were ever documented having in the last century.

Sakura's face scrunched up. "Well, what does it do? It's pretty nifty but it looks like it doesn't do much else besides the obvious."

"Well, what historical records I've read, one has the ability to apply elemental chakra flow to them, make them illusionary, and suppress enemy chakra. I had to ask old man Hokage about the specifics when I found out my clan had a bloodline at all."

Sakura nodded, happy at the explanation given. She had nothing more to say, clearly Naruto had the potential of being the most valuable team-member.

She just hoped she wasn't left behind.

* * *

Moon and stars shone brightly at the sky when Naruto made his way to a still bedridden Haku. Tsunami informed him that she awoke briefly while he was away, and when informed of Zabuza's death she went into hysterics, Kakashi sensei had to go so far as to knock her out with a genjutsu.

Naruto hoped she'd wake up soon after but to no avail. So here Naruto was, the time limit so safely wake up a genjutsu induced patient has passed, and he had no intention of waiting for tomorrow.

Naruto felt guiltier than he had ever felt before in his life, and surprisingly, it wasn't about his first time killing. He had gotten over that—well, not really, but he was starting to come to terms with the fact that his team would be dead otherwise, so he was beginning to accept the necessity of it.

No, what nagged at his conscience wasn't necessarily the act of killing, but the realization that was his actions that was causing Haku such pain. It was a tough pill to swallow knowing you're the reason of a friends state of turmoil.

As he made his way towards the guest room Haku was located, he noticed the lack of a patrolling Sasuke. It was his first time patrolling since the battle at the bridge after Naruto gave him his blessing. Naruto was fully willing to bribe the Uchiha for some alone time with Haku, only to notice him passed out on the sofa.

Naruto took note the tell tail scuff marks on his clothing and disheveled appearance. Naruto scowled, the bastard was training and no light training either. The sweat and laboured breathing was testament to that. He'd make sure to give him hell tomorrow but for now it worked in his favor.

Silently walking his way past the slumbering Uchiha he made a beeline to Haku's room.

Opening the door, Naruto smiled as his eyes noticed that Haku was in fact awake! Only for his face to quickly morph into a visage of horror, as he noticed the kunoishi holding an impossibly sharp piece of ice in her hand, tip pointed right at her throat. She was gonna kill herself!

Moving before the ice user had a chance to react to his presence, Naruto's calloused hand grasped the make shift weapon. Red blood ran freely down the sides of his hand, falling down and staining Haku's pretty white nightgown. More continued down and wrists and forearms, soaking into his jacket. Blood was pooling on the floor, a surprisingly loud dripping and Naruto's harsh breathing was the only source of sound in the moonlit room.

"Stop." Naruto growled, face showing no sign of discomfort despite the fact that the ice knife had surely cut deeply into his hand.

Haku stared at him with wide eyes. Finally, she shook her head. "Let go, Naruto."

"No." His voice was flat now.

"I said, let go Naruto." Her voice was louder this time.

"No."

"Let go," she said again, this time she forcefully struggled to force the tip of the blade to her throat. Naruto's hand didn't even budge.

"Quit it Haku." This time his flat tone of voice held a hint of warning to it. Eyes gleamed brightly with emotion as he stared down at her.

"Let go!" Haku growled, her eyes wild. With all of her strength,she doubled her effort to end her life. Naruto's hand shook now but showed no other sign of giving way.

"No Haku," he said firmly "I'm not letting you die."

"Damnit Naruto let me die!" She screamed uncaring of possibly alerting the other occupants of the house. "What right do you have in stopping me?!"

Naruto, wordlessly raised his free hand and brought in sharply across Haku's face. The loud smack seemed to echo through the room, and the distraught girl stared at him, stunned.

"You lost the right to die the moment Zabuza died for you." Naruto stated. "He tried to save you after I beat you and I killed him as a result." Naruto's body shook at his retelling but his voice didn't waver. "You told me at the bridge that shinobi died for their comrades, that such an act makes them worthy of respect. Your spitting on Zabuza's sacrifice with this stunt. Grow up! This is the way of the shinobi, you taught me that."

Haku seemed to collapse in on herself. Tears streaked down her face, and the strength seemed to suddenly leave her arms, Naruto took the opportunity to disarm the girl. Quickly throwing the knife across the room.

Naruto looked down at the crying girl. Eyes sad and understanding. "I thought of killing myself once or twice you know."

Haku startled at this, eyes disbelieving that the redhead would even think of taking such actions.

"I've never been loved you know, I'm an orphan, people hate me at my village... for," Naruto paused. "Exceeding circumstances, but i could never do it, that's the cowards way out." Naruto scowled at this. "And I'm no coward."

Haku mentally recoiled.*I'm not a coward,she wanted to scream. But she had no energy for it, no true passion or anger left within her."I don't have anything left," she whispered, voice broken. " I have no dreams to fallow."

"You have your life, you have a future," he stated. "as long as you have that, you can find new dreams." he continued with increasing strength.

"Zabuza's dream was my dream Naruto." She spoke voice thick with grief.

Naruto's scowled at the answer. "Then dream of vengeance! Dream of killing me in the name of Zabuza! Just live, cling to your existence, cause your life is worth way more then...then this. Dieing in some backwater country via suicide."

There was a long pause after Naruto's tirade. "I don't hate you Naruto, but I was Zabuza's will, and he was my dreams and future." She looked truly saddened at what she said next. "No one in the world wants me. I'm an abandoned too."

"Then I'll need you," Naruto stated. He mentally paused, but didn't regret saying it. Haku's head whipped up, and she stared at him with the wide-eyed look that he was rapidly becoming familiar with.

"Wha-?"

"I don't want you to die," Naruto said more surely. Surprisingly, it was provoking a reaction from the girl, so Naruto kept talking. "If you died… I will be devastated. So please," he begged her, "live."

In the the shocked silence that fallowed Naruto half hugged the still ice user.

"If you need a reason to live," Naruto continued. "then do it for me! If you have to be needed by someone, then I'll need you!" It was a promise.

Another silent pause fallowed, and Naruto worried he hadn't convinced her.

"Yes," Haku murmured, staring up at him with wide hazel eyes. Slowly she returned the hug. "I'll fallow you."

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

Authors note.

Another chapter done hope you enjoy. I liked the possibility of a fem-Haku so I did it. I feel Haku stories are kinda lacking in fanfics so I decided to roll with it.

I'm trying to get the wave arc out of the way quickly, but it's proving to be a pain in the ass.

I tried to give Naruto a back story in this chapter, hope it informed you guys on what his character is like.

Please review.


	3. Demons To Cash In 3

The distant twinkling of stars dominated Naruto's vision. The moon was obscured by a dark, indistinct mass of clouds. Occasionally the clouds would break, and for a moment gentle silver rays of light would illuminate the land below.

Naruto walked down a dirt road, he made his way past the village and onto it's outskirts. He took no notice of the chill wind that combed invisible fingers through his messy hair and past his black attire. He changed his clothing for this particular mission, favor? Naruto didn't know himself anymore.

*'What am I doing?'* Naruto thought. It was a question he'd been asking himself many times in the past few hours.A scroll burning a metaphorical hole through his black pants as he made his way to a bounty station a few miles ahead.

The fallout of Naruto's talk with Haku was his reason for his venture towards a seedy establishment was fresh in his mind. He offered to bury Zabuza tomorrow with honors, on a particularly tall hill Naruto spied while walking back to Tazuna's house. Only for his offer to be vehemently denied. She wanted a swordsman's burial all wielders of the legendary seven swords were given when one perished.

If Naruto cashed in the Demon of the Hidden Mists bounty, the body would be returned to their respective villages. Though Naruto wouldn't be returning the sword it self, the village was honor bound to grant Zabuza his burial rights like all swordsmen before him. Naruto just wished it wasn't him who had to do the grizzly task.

Haku was still too weak and Kakashi sensei would've forbidden it out right. Konoha didn't cash in bounties, missing-nins or no the possibility for retribution was all too common in their world. So Naruto changed clothes, removed his headband, and proceeded to sneak out to the bounty station in the town's outskirts. He just wished it wasn't so damn far away.

Finally seeing the building matching Haku's description, that being of a medium sized two story building surrounded by smaller even seeder establishments. Naruto took a fortifying breath, and moved forward. He pointedly ignoring the surrounding thugs, lowlifes, and general scum of society still up at such a late hour.

He was halfway to the building when a particularly big guy, resembling more guerilla than man decided to block his way, Naruto sighed really not in the mood to entertain the brute. A look at the surrounding lowlifes told him he'll have to set an example.

"Boy!" The thug exclaimed. "Why'd don't ya hand over those pretty little scolls there?" The thug smiled, yellow half rotten teeth revealed. "I'll keep them safe for you while ya do your business"

Naruto looked up at him. Not sensing any chakra above civilian level. "I'm good thanks." Naruto went to sidestep the thug only for the would be mugger to block his way again.

"I insist." This time the thug gestured to the unsheathed Katana and Wakizashi strapped to his hip. "See these swords hear, got them from killing a ninja," Naruto almost snorted obviously not beleaving him, but the swords were clearly chakra conductive. The darker metal and tell tail ripples of folded steal were proof of that. "So why don't you hand those scrolls over before things get bloody." Naruto really wasn't impressed.

Faster then the thug could see or react, Naruto let loose three shurikens. Two took him in his legs, dropping him to his knees, the last one hit his left shoulder. When the mugger went to draw his sword with his good hand, Naruto was on him in an instant.

Kunia in hand, Naruto thrust the ninja tool down on the tendon connecting the arm to the shoulder. The thug screamed, "You Bastard! I'll kill you! I swear to God you'l..." He ignored the injured thugs profanity. His hand still gripping the bloody kunia to his shoulder.

When the mugger quieted down Naruto spoke. "You'll find I don't mind getting bloody," The redheads voice was soft, his eyes wide. Naruto resembled the twelve year old he really was, not the trained killers all shinobi were. "Now why don't ya hand over those pretty little swords of yours." Naruto smiled "I'll keep them safe for you," Naruto's face scrunched up in confusion. "what was it again?" Naruto snapped his fingers, smiling." Oh yeah! While you do your business."

The thug spat at his feet. "Fuck you!" Naruto twisted the blade and the screams started anew.

"Now, now I insist." Naruto continued repeating more or less what the thug just said to him. "We wouldn't want things to get..." He paused at this."well _more_ bloody." This time the thug complied.

Now with a new set of swords strapped to his waist, and a bloodied and beaten thug in his wake, Naruto wasn't bothered again as he made the rest of the way to the bounty station. Whispers of Shinobi fallowed him from the surrounding lowlifes.

As he opened the entrance to the bounty station Naruto took stock of the interior. The inside of the bounty station was a semi-large room, more liken to that of a bank/bar if Naruto were to compare, the whole front was barred off by metal bars. A lone *cashier* stood at the other side. The rest of the room held patronage to even more thugs and lowlifes, gambling and alcohol was the name of the game, it seemed as almost all the clients were with a bottle or a deck of cards. Naruto kept walking ignoring all the eyes on him as he walked forward.

When he finally got his way to the bounty cashier, Naruto spoke. "Hi. I'm looking to cash in a bounty."

"You've come to the right place shinobi." His voice was smooth, if not a little incredulous at seeing such a young client. To Naruto the guy was fairly good looking, with black hair and blue eyes, if not a little nerdy with his halfmoon glasses. How he knew he was a ninja, Naruto didn't know. He doubted he'd tell him. So Naruto didn't ask as the man took out small black book. "I need to know the name of the bounty and proof of demise."

Naruto nodded nervously as he unstrapped the scroll with Zabuza's corpse on his waist. "Momoshi Zabuza." He answered.

The cashier raised an eyebrow. "So your the Konoha ninja that did in Zabuza." Naruto pointedly didn't answer, but the man continued unperturbed, ignorant or uncaring for the reason for his silence. "I was under the impression Konoha didn't cash in bounties."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "I was under the impression that you guys didn't ask questions." Naruto spoke, a hint of warning in his tone. The cashier seemed to want to push his luck, but decided to stay quiet when Naruto started to pull away the scroll.

"My apologies. Just curious is all." He straitened his glasses. "The bounty is ten million ryo for the body and double for the sword Kubikiribōchō."

"Just the body." Naruto said, handing over the scroll. Shocked that Zabuza was worth so much.

"Right then, I'll have a colleague confirm its contents. Shouldn't take more then ten minutes if the bodies in decent condition." He gestured towards empty seats in the back of the establishment. "I'll ring you up when everything is all's set and done."

Naruto nodded, but decided to ask a question of his own. "You guys wouldn't happen to be selling the most recent bingo book, would you?"

The cashier nodded, pulling out a fairly thin, black booklet from a cabinet to his right. He slid the object past the bars easily enough. "On the house."

Naruto thanked his. Making his way to an empty seat, Naruto sat. Opening the booklet, Naruto leafed through it's contents, looking for Zabuza's entry. He found it near the beginning. Apparently the bingo book was ordered by Rank and bounty, he was up there.

He was an A-rank jonin, ex-anbu, and wanted for the attempted murder of the Mizukage and a failed coup d'etat. He was named as the second strongest of the seven swordsmen, second only to one Hoshigaki Kisame another missing nin, S-rank at that.

Apparently Zabuza was a rebel leader until he was forced to flee by three of his fellow swordsmen. He killed one in the fight and wounded the others before he left water country with the Demon brothers in tow. Naruto whistled, "Zabuza was a badass."

He was halfway through the Demon Brothers entry when the a buzzer went off. Noticing the cashier gesture to him Naruto got up.

Now back at the metal divider the cashier spoke. "Right then mister shinobi, the body is recognizable and everything seems to be in order. I just need to know what payment method you'd prefer, cash or check?" He asked.

Naruto didn't think twice. "Cash." He had no intention of leaving a paper trail. The cashier nodded unsurprised, clearly used to such transactions.

Making his way to the back were Naruto couldn't see, the bespectacled man quickly came back with a four black striped scrolls. "The money is sealed in the scrolls. 250,000,000 ryo in each one."

Naruto gulped, shocked that he would soon become a millionaire with the contents of those scrolls. Having been handed the scrolls, Naruto spoke. "Thank you." He bowed. "Pleasure doing business."

The cashier smiled. "No mister shinobi, pleasures is all mine." Naruto left, not bothering to confirm the contents of the scroll. A business that ripped off shinobi didn't last long after all. Naruto's eyes narrowed a hooded duo silently fallowed after him.

* * *

Naruto let out a suffering sigh, he was a mile out of bounty station, the moon still up and about lighting the forested dirt road he was on. Naruto's stalkers were good, but he could still sense them, they were sloppy.

Walking past an unassuming puddle his would be murderers pounced. There was no warning, no feeling of killing intent, just the faint whisper of a taut chain slicing through air. "Tch!" Naruto growled. Bladed chains dug deep into his flesh as blood began to seep through his black attire, but ultimately Naruto kept silent.

"Got you little shinobi." Was the dark-cloaked ninja's grim exclamation.

Naruto's eyes scowled in recognition. "Your the Demon Brothers." Naruto's voice was twinged with pain, but all and all very calm. "I thought it was you clowns I sensed over there?!"

"Revenge is ours genin!" The chains tightened with explosive force. Naruto barely had time to scream. A cloud of chakra smoke and a resounding 'Poof' was the Demon Brothers only reword.

"Substitution," Gouzu, the elder of the demon brothers, growled. He tensed, his eyes scanning the area. "He's not dead."

"Damn it!" Meizu the younger brother exclaimed. "Where is h..." he was interrupted by a thrown katana. Apparently Naruto put it to good use cause Meizu barely managed to dodged the thrown blade.

Naruto grinned at their obvious anger from his tree-top vantage point. "Idiots," he mocked. Inwardly he was cursing. Their teamwork was top-notch, chain or no chain, and they were both experienced chuunin-level shinobi. Naruto inwardly frowned as he contemplated how to deal with the two.

They we're both chunin level ninja, and although Sasuke got the upper hand when facing them at one point, it was mostly luck that Kakashi sensei was there to stop them. Naruto just hoped he could keep them talking for a moment so he could finish healing. Those chains were no joke, Naruto's grin became mocking. "Bit slow aren't you?"

"I'll show you slow!" Yelled the younger brother. He went to move forward, so much for that plan.

"Meizu! He's baiting you, calm down." Meizu didn't listen and Naruto smiled. It always helped having backup's. The missing-nins clawed gauntlet skewered the readhead. Or would have of he didn't substitute for a log.

A couple yards away Naruto grinned in triumph as his hands moved to form the Ram seal, ignoring the sharp flashes of pain his still healing wounds caused him. His plan had paid off, he prepared the log when he noticed he was being fallowed. A couple shadow clones did the work and he gladly acted as bait.

Naruto focused his chakra sharply. "Boom," he whispered. The explosive note nestled around the piece of timber exploded.

A terrible howl erupted from the cloud of dust and dirt, from the remnants of the explosion, which obscured Meizu's position. Naruto stared, shocked. ' _He's still_ _alive_?'

His internal monologue came it an abrupt halt as an enraged Gouzu came at him with flurry of blows. Naruto's eyes flashed red. "I'll kill you boy!" Naruto didn't doubt him.

Ducking and weaving through the older brothers offensive was taxing, and would have been impossible if not for his newly acquired Sharingan.

Another duck from an overhead punch and Naruto tried to counter. A snap kick to the older ninjas knees was promptly dodged and Naruto paid for it. Unbalanced and overextended, Gouzu took advantage with a vicious left hook to his ribs. Rolling with the punch to distribute the force, Naruto knew he was in trouble. He was just happy it wasn't the poisoned gauntlet that hit him.

Taking advantage for the space given, he made his favorite hand seal, and ten clones popped into existence. Quickly surrounding the furious ninja, Naruto and his doppelgangers proceeded to gang up on the missing-nin. Kicks and punches were exchanged from both sides, Naruto being slower and inexperienced at least had the numbers advantage. While Gouzu, being bigger and stronger, had years of shinobi training to fall back on.

A shadow clone or two would be popped every once in a while, only for them to be replaced just as fast. It grated on Gouzu's nerves when such happenings became less and less.

"Damn you boy!" Gouzu yelled, unleashing the chain rapped around his gauntlet. "Die!" Exclaimed Gouzu, spinning the serrated chain a full 360 degrees. Watching in slow motion the release of the chain and it's resulting spin, the original Naruto struck.

Unstrapping his newly acquired Wakizashi, Naruto stabbed the chain mid-motion between it's rings, pinning the chain to the ground. Momentum abruptly stopped Gouzu staggered and the clones struck at once. Kunai in hand Naruto for a moment believed he had the fight won, only for the tactic he used earlier to be implemented. Gouzu disconnected his chain and substituted... with his own brother.

Unable to hault their momentum Naruto and his clones struck the dieing Meizu. It was a bloody sight that the Sharingan burned into his brain. Meizu's unarmored arm had been blown off, the smell of charred flesh was picked up by his sensitive nose, and only a bloody stump remained where his left leg was. Yet even stabbed and dieing Meizu gamely tried to slash at a rapidly paling Naruto.

So shocked was he, it was a shadow clone that pushed Naruto out of the way of the poisoned gauntlet. Picking up the presence of the older brother behind him, Naruto spoke, voice disbelieving and shocked.

"You bastard!" Naruto exclaimed. "Why'd you do that? Your own brother!" Naruto truly couldn't wrap his head around something so horrid.

"You have some nerve to insult me boy!" Gouzu screamed, voice heavy with grief and rage. "He was a dead man long before I did anything." Gouzu's scowl deepened. "You made sure of that."

Naruto's face finally turned away from the now still body and onto the missing-nin. "You're a monster, to disrespect your brother like this." Naruto's voice shook. "Do you even care?"

"Of course I care boy!" Gouzu's voice was filled with indignation. "This is what being a shinobi is. To kill and die in the name of the mission, with whatever means necessary." He took a deep breath. "Meizu new it, I know it." Gouzu finished, walking up to Naruto's discarded Katana. "And you'll die knowing it."

"That's no way to live." Naruto said, his tone now flat, but so very filled with emotion. Finding such an act blasphemy for an orphan who had nothing. "If that's what it means to be a ninja then I reject it, I'll make my own nindō. I'll find a path where I don't have any regrets."

"I don't care what you think boy." Gouzu said, now holding Naruto's Katana, uncaring of the blonds earlier speech. "I'll kill you with your own blade. I'll take those pretty little eyes of yours too after I'm finished."

"No." Naruto's voice was emotionless now. "My sword will be killing you." Naruto finished. A proof of smoke from the katana Gouzu was holding revealed it to be a transformed clone. Taking advantage of the older ninjas shock the Naruto clone stabbed wildly at the missing-nin jugular.

When Gouzu went to dispel the clone with his bladed gauntlet, he was shocked when silver chains wrapped his body tightly from below. Naruto's Sharingan recorded the instant the missing-nin knew he was dead.

Blood flashed and Gouzu couldn't even move freely as he bled out. Frantically trying to fight the restraints, Gouzu's eyes widened in panic as his body twitched, blood gurgling to the surface from his slashed throat and mouth, a few moments of this fallowed before he finally became still. Naruto's mind had settled into a cold, calm, thoughtless place. He knew what he had to do and he did it, with no emotion, no remorse.

Retracting his chains, Naruto made it to the fallen missing-nin's side and stared down, sickened. Gouzu's face held a visage of shock and anger in death, and Naruto wasn't so sure it wasn't warranted.

For the first time, Naruto witnessed a human die up close. Before, the Kyuubi's rage had left Naruto's memories oddly scattered and jumbled even with the Sharingan, he felt oddly disconnected from the battle. This time, he knew he would remember the sight for the rest of his life. There was no Kyuubi, no rage, no demonic influences or emotions clouding Naruto's mind. He was just… numb.

His stomach rebelled violently at the sight, and Naruto promptly emptied his stomach, an unsurprising feat considering the smell of burnt human flesh that permeated the air from the dead Meizu. Wiping the remnants of bile from his mouth, Naruto fortified himself. There was work to be done, he had to clean the battle zone, sort out any useful equipment, and take care of the bodies. _'this is gonna suck_ '

His Sharingan now deactivated, Naruto summoned ten clones to clean while he checked over the bodies. Meizu was the easiest to sort, the only thing remotely intact was his gauntlet. Quickly relieving him of the weapon, Naruto moved on to his brother. Gouzu was much more useful in regards to equipment. Gauntlets, rebreather, and any ninja tools were taken. He did his grizzly task in an almost painful silence. "Haku better be grateful."

* * *

When he got back to Tazuna's house the sun had yet to rise, but Naruto estimated he had at least two hours before daybreak.

When Naruto noticed that digging a grave for the demon brothers would be too tiring and time consuming, he sealed them up and had a shadow clones make his way to the bounty station. They were both worth one hundred thousand ryos in total, bounty or no bounty, Naruto was just too tired to be bothered to give them a proper burial especially after they tried to kill him.

He was a good yard from Tazuna's house when he noticed the shadow-clone he summoned to act as lookout give him a thumbs up' Naruto gave an audible sigh of relief.

Naruto had the last gaurd shift, so Naruto's clone just relieved a sleeping Sasuke from his own shift a good hour after the original left, but not before giving him an ear full for training so hard.

Passing a sleeping Haku, Naruto made it up the stairs to the restroom, deciding to take a quick shower and change to a fresh set of clothes. He really didn't what to explain to Kakashi Sensei what happened to him.

It was approximately twenty minutes later that a fresh and clean Naruto came out, arms and torso no longer marred with his earlier wounds. With a set of his orange track suit, Naruto smiled. He sat on the couch, eyes growing heavy with fatigue. Deciding to take a quick power nap Naruto closed his eyes, he was out like a light.

* * *

Naruto woke within the recess of of his own psyche. It was a strange place, a dark ocean was at his back, crystal white sand at his feet surrendering to his weight. In front, a forest of twisted pine, sakura, maple, and thunbergii doted the rocky landscape. A setting sun in the oceans horizon bathed the surroundings in a stream of eternal twilight.

What was unnerving was the the ocean refused to reflect the rays of red, yellow, or any remotely visible light. The ocean only reflected non-existent stars on a field of the deepest black. Naruto gulped _'were am I?'_ this wasn't Wave country.

No fog was remotely visible in the normally misty local he was staying at, the ocean was eerily calm, not so much as a ripple disturbed the onyx surface, and the clouds overhead seemed to break only for a white stream of moonlight to cast frightening shadows at all it touched.

A flowing river connected to the still ocean, weirdly the flow slowed enough that it didn't indicate were the river water started or ended, as both showed the reflected stars.

He gulped, unwilling to stay at the beach, Naruto decided to fallow the river. It's starry reflection rippled as he walked by, Naruto didn't even cast a shadow when close to it's banks. He kept walking, passing beautiful trees of all shapes, colors, and sizes. The branches and leaves mesmerizing with their multicolored forms, the twilight sun only enhancing their beauty. Naruto would have been calm if the parting clouds didn't reveal the haunting moon overhead, causing the frightening contrast of the resulting shadows to ruin the scenic sight.

On he walked, for how long, he didn't know. Time blurred and his perception followed suit. He barely noticed the forest darken and the moon becoming a permanent fixture in the sky, now matching the reflection in the river.

Naruto finally got his head together when he noticed ivory torii gates dotting the landscape, going onward he noticed the thinning of trees and glowing silver chains hanging upon those few trees there were.

Still onwards he went ignoring the already weird change of scenery, finally making his way to the source of the river. It was a gated cave entrance on the side of an enormous mountain, the bars were golden, the longest and largest he's ever seen. A strip of paper reading _seal_ was placed where each mighty door met. Glowing red eyes met his own blue, _killing intent_ the strongest he's ever felt hit him like a sledge hammer, his eyes dilated, the pressure bringing him to his knees. A large vulpine smile resulted in his visible fear. _'that's the Kyūbi, I must be in the seal.!'_

 **"Warden, pleasure to finally meet you."** The demons voice was deep, his ungodly hatred smearing every word with unconstrained wrath. **"I think it's long past the time we should be have been acquainted."** The creature crimson gaze narrowed and his killing intent doubled.

Naruto grit his teeth, hatred clawed through the fear, eyes flashing red Naruto exclaimed "Enough!" dispelling the pressure with a surge of his own dense chakra. Naruto could finally breath freely. "What's the big deal, asshole?!"

The demons eyes narrowed even more if possible. **"Such insolence, you are lucky this accursed seal is hear to keep me at bay, boy."**

Adding chakra to his feet, Naruto made his way to the middle of the river. Now standing in front of the massive gate Naruto's crimson gaze met the Kyūbi's own. "Then I think I'll leave that paper over there in peace." Naruto pointed out. "As long as that's intact I have nothing to fear from you, Kyūbi."

 **"You have everything thing to fear from me boy."** The beast growled. **"Time wears all such creations, but I am eternal. That seal won't last as long as I'm present."**

Naruto snorted, calling the biju's bluff. "All seals can be reapplied of tightened." Naruto smiled. "I might not be a sealing master but I'm getting there. Give me time and this seal will hold as long as I will it to."

The Kyūbi too smiled. **"We will see boy."** A pause and he continued. **"You should be thanking me little ninja, have my boons not helped you, have I not saved your life with my chakra?"** Naruto didn't answer. **"My strength was mine to give freely, boy. A strength that need not be strictly situational."**

Naruto's eyes widened. "You want to give me chakra?" Was he trying to make a deal.

The Kyūbi nodded. **"As loathe is it for me to say, you are my avatar to the world."** The fox seemed truly mad at this. **"I will not have a weak container. I refuse it."**

Naruto didn't like the answer. "What do I care about your pride fox. These things you gave me are all well and good, but I never wanted them. I'm a medic, I'm supposed to help and heal people."

The fox raised a non-existent eyebrow. **"Are you not supposed to protect? When your team meets a superior foe, do you just want to heal?"** Naruto seemed conflicted at this. **"You're a killer boy, your teacher is a killer, your your Hokage is a killer, your children will grow up to be killers. This world is built by killers! The question is not wether you want to kill, it is if you are willing to stay aside and watch as your team and yourself dies."**

Naruto shook his head. "I won't be a just a witness, I will help my friends when needed." Naruto paused at this, seeing if he could a possible deal with the devil. "But your chakra is too dangerous, I get too mad, too ravenous for destruction. If I'm to use your chakra, I can't loose control. That's my condition, I want control."

The Kyūbi begrudgingly nodded. **"So be it boy."**

Naruto looked around. "So how did I get here?" Naruto asked. "Are we in my mind? The seal maybe?"

 **"You came he on your own accord, the tired state of your mind unwittingly called to my strength."** He paused here, letting what he was saying sink in. **"And we are in the seal and your mind, this place is just as real as the outside."**

Naruto was incredulous. "Then how am I here If I fell asleep in Tazuna's house?" It didn't make any sense.

The giant fox looked amused. **"I'll leave that for you to find out. Now wake up boy. Wake up, wa..."**

* * *

"Wake up Naruto!" Naruto's eyes flashed open, a rather annoyed looking Sakura looming over him. He was still in the couch, right were he last remembered. _'Was that all a dream? **'**_ No, it couldn't be, it was far too real. "Get up you lazy idiot. It's almost noon, Kakashi sensei said to pack, we're leaving Wave soon."

Naruto was shocked. "Why so sudden? Can Haku even travel?" He asked.

"Haku's is up and walking. She said you guys talked last night." She frowned at this. "She seems dead set on fallowing you to Konoha and Kakashi sensei said it won't be a problem."

"But why are we leaving? What about the mission, the bridge isn't even finished."

Sakura shrugged. "He said now that everyone is fit to travel, we had to go. You need an urgent medical check-up. It's not normal having so many bloodlines and the less people know the better."

"We're leaving cause of me." He frowned at this fact.

Sakura's visage was sad as well, but not accusatory. "Team comes first remember, and Tazuna did lie to us."

Naruto didn't like it. "So we're going back to Konoha then."

"Yep, so get ready we leave soon."

His packing was a quick affair, all his items were already sealed, so he only needed to store them.

He killed time by checking up on a quiet Haku in her room. Stepping into the room, he noticed she was distant, numb if Naruto were to choose a word to describe her. "How are you doing? You sure you want to go with me to Konoha?"

"I'm fine Naruto, and I do want to go. I'm just nervous I guess." Her tone was melancholy.

Naruto gave her a brittle smile. "Could have fooled me." Then Naruto gulped, trying to build up the nerve for what he wanted to say. "Haku, I ran into the Demon Brothers."

Haku didn't seem surprised. "I had my suspicions, I ran into your shadow clone. He held a payment scroll and rips reminiscent of their chains." She took a deep breath. "Did they die quick?"

Naruto nodded. "It was quick." He pointedly left out Meizu's death. "They attacked me." He justified. "I did what I had to do."

Haku's eyes held back tears, once stoic face giving way to sorrow. "They were always vengeful." She let out a broken sob. "They were never the same after they left Kiri."

Naruto himself wanted to cry as well, to let his brittle walls he'd painstakingly carved throughout his life to fall and break. To allow himself to feel sorrow and regret for their death and all those he has killed before, but he didn't. He would not cry, he owed it to Haku to be strong. "I'm sorry." Haku just sobbed harder.

Naruto decided to let Haku grieve. "We leave in an hour." And so he left her to her sorrow. Promising to make up for all the pain he has caused her.

Team seven plus a now composed Haku were all packed and ready by the docks when a coalition of happy town's people came to see them off. Tazuna and Inari were the first and foremost to say their thanks. Going in so far as to name the Bridge after Naruto. Saying he was the one who brought back hope to the impoverished country.

Naruto glad for the recognition, was just happy to leave. He left Wave and didn't look back.

* * *

 **Authors note.**

 **Sorry for the wait, this chapter fought tooth and nail to be written. Im still unhappy with it, I wanted the last wave chapter to be memorable, but I was sorta rushing to get to Konoha.**

 **I'm trying to keep this a strictly Naruto point of view story. I'll expand on Haku and Sasuke some but nothing too big, just some snippets here and there.**

 **Point out any mistakes please, and any suggestions would be very appreciated.**

 **Jetiq out.**


End file.
